This invention relates to an apparatus for separating article groups of predetermined length from a stack of flat, edgewise upright oriented, continuously advanced articles such as confectionary wafers. The length of the groups is determined by the distance between a separating element which may be introduced between two consecutive articles of the stock and a pickup element which is movable parallel to the article advance and which is situated at the downstream end of the momentarily formed group. The apparatus further includes a transfer tray for transferring the groups to a further conveyor device.
Several solutions have been proposed in the past concerning a grouped packaging of flat, wafer-like articles. Thus, it is known to introduce between the edgewise upright oriented articles a knife-like or lance-like separating element and, at the same time, to position, at the downstream end of the article group, a pickup element movable parallel to the article advance. The distance between the separating element and the pickup element determines the length of the group. Such apparatuses are disclosed, for example, in Swiss Pat. No. 380,635, German Gebrauchsmuster No. 7,223,053 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,954,881.
In the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,098,392 the articles advanced continuously by a first conveyor are withheld by a separating blade while the articles downstream of the blade (that is, the separated articles) are furthr conveyed by means of an article carrier. A second article carrier associated with the first-named article carrier to form a pair therewith retains the leading article of the stack at a distance from the counted group and constitutes a component comparable to the pickup elements of the machines disclosed in the above-listed three other publications. In this manner a continous group division is obtained in a linear conveyor path.
The mechanism for forming a simple distance between articles is relatively complex. Adjustments for changing the number of articles per group which may be a required daily to maintain the number of articles constant in case the type of articles is changed, may be effected only with complicated means.
Further, in up-to-date packages it is often a desideratum to simultaneously pack several groups, for example, in case packaging boxes are provided with shock absorbing partitions. None of the grouping apparatuses described above permit a simultaneous separation of a plurality of groups from a single continuous article stack and a simultaneous further conveyance of such groups.